Luminaire



Nov. 20, 1962 J. H. FAHEY, JR

, LUMINAIRE 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Jan. 16, 1961 Arron/2V7.

H assasss Patented Nov. 2th, i932 fire lliinois Filed Jan. 16, 1961,Ser. No. 82,787 7 Claims. (Cl. Mil-25) This invention relates toluminaires, and more particularly, to enclosed reflector type luminaireswhich employ a high intensity ballasted light source suitable forlighting highways, parking areas, and the like.

One known form of luminaire uses a mercury vapor lamp which requiresballasting means for operating the lamp. Such :ballasting means arefrequently housed within the luminaire housing and it has been customaryto support the ballasting means from the housing. The ballasting meansnecessary to operate a large-sized mercury vapor lamp is of substantialweight and the weight of the ballasting means has therefore requiredthat the housing be made strong enough to support the additional weightof the ballasts. It is therefore desirable to provide a lightweight,nonstructural luminaire housing so that the lurninaire may beeconomically manufactured and conveniently installed. Moreover,considerable heat is produced during the operation of the ballastingmeans and therefore when the ballasting means are enclosed within thehousing it is desirable that cooling means be provided for theballasting means.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved mercury vapor luminaire which overcomes the aforementioneddifficulties.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedmercury vapor luminaire of the type adapted to house a ballast assembly.

A further obiect of the present invention is to provide a mercury vaporluminaire wherein the ballast assembly is supported directly to abracket secured to the supporting pole and the housing of the luminaireis of lightweight nonstructural construction.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a mercury vaporluminaire with improved ventilating means for the ballast assembly.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will ecome apparent asthe following description proceeds and the features of novelty whichcharacterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in theclaims annexed to and forming a part of the specification.

Briefly stated, in accordance with the present invention, the ballastassembly is enclosed within a mercury vapor luminaire housing and issupported on a bracket secured directly to the supporting pole of theluminaire. The bracket additionally supports the electric lamp socketand the electric lamp, and additionally aids in positioning alightweight reflector within the housing and in supporting at least partof the weight of the refractor. The housing of the luminaire thereforeis nonstructural resulting in a lightweight housing which may beeconomically manufactured and which may be conveniently installed.

According to a further feature of the present invention, the housing ofthe luminaire is provided with venting means aligned to provideventilation around at least the ballast assembly.

The nature of the invention will best be understood when described inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an improved luminaire according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view, partly in section, shown to a larger scale, ofthe improved luminaire according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional end view 2 taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

of the luminaire of P G.

9 5d so that the weight of the FIG. 4 is a sectional bottom view of theluminaire of FIG. 2 taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view illustrating certain details of theimproved luminaire according to present invention and illustrated withparts of the luminaire removed.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated an improved mercuryvapor luminaire illustrated generally at 10 and mounted in a generallyhorizontal direction from a generally horizontally extending end portion12a of a supporting pole 12. The luminaire Kit is of the type housing amercury vapor lamp 14 (FIGS. 2 and 4) in a generally enclosednonstructural lightweight outer housing, shown generally at 16. Thehousing 16 includes an upper, shallow elongated reflector housing orholder 18- hydraulically formed of sheet aluminum or other lightweightmaterial, and a lower refractor holder 26 similarly formed of aluminumor other lightweight material and forming a door for the reflectorhousing 18. The reflector housing 18 is of generally inverted dish shapehaving a downwardly extending flange 13a forming a downward opening 18b,and houses a lightweight, polished refractor 22. The refractor holder 20is of shallow, elongated form, complementary to the opening 181; of thereflector housing eing provided with a refractor opening 24 and arefractor 26 positioned in the opening 24. The refractor holder 28 ishingedly connected relative to the reflector housing 13 by a hingeassembly 28 and is supported at its forward end by a latch assembly 36so that the housing assembly 16 comprising the reflector housing 18, therefractor holder Eli, and the refractor form a generally enclosedhousing assembly enclosing the ballast assembly, lamp socket, electriclamp, and other electrical components. The hinge assembly 28 isseparable so that the refractor holder 26 may be separated from thehousing assembly 16 by releasing the latch assembly 30 and swinging therefractor holder Zll clockwise as viewed in FIG. 2 beyond its freeopening position to separate the hinge assembly Elie refractor 26 isheld in the opening 2 by a plurality of refractor clip assemblies 32(FIG. 2). Additionally, a sealing gasket 34 is positioned between thereflector 22 and the refractor 26 so that the reflector 22 and therefractor 26 form a substantially sealed inner envelope for housing thelamp 14.

In order to support the luminaire i on the horizontally extending end120. of the support pipe 12, there is provided a sturdy saddle orbracket 36 of lightweight die cast or similarly formed metal. Thebracket as is of generally triangular shape with an apex or first corner36c thereof clamped to the pipe 12, and second and third corners 35d and362 thereof intermediate the length of the housing 16 and remote fromthe pipe 12. Additionally, the body of the bracket 36 is provided with aplurality of cut-outs or openings 36] to provide for the mounting ofelectrics. components. The bracket as near its apex 360 is provided witha pair of downwardly extending walls 36g and a pair of downwardlyextending internally threaded bosses 36/1. The bracket 36 is attacheddirectly to the end of the pipe 312 by a pair of U-clamps 38 whichencircle the pipe end 12:: and which are bolted directly into thethreaded bosses 36h through a plurality of bolts as. The saddle 35carries a ballast assembly 42 (FIG. 4) which may include a ballastintransformer 44 and a plurality of capacitors 46 connected in electricalcircuits with a lamp socket .3 as is well known, and additionallyconnected to a terminal board 51 which terminal board St'l is furtheradapted to be connected to a source of electrical power. The saddle 36is provided with a downwardly extending arm 35:! which supports the lampsocket as and the terminal board lamp socket 43 and the lamp 114 iscarried by the bracket 36 through the arm 350 and is transmitteddirectly to the supporting pipe 12.

In order to position the reflector 22 within the housing In, thereflector 22 is provided with an outwardly extending flange portion 22awhich is received Within a reflector groove 36b at the end of the arm35a, and the reflector 22 is provided near its other end with a dimple22b (FIG. 2) adapted to be engaged by a detent 52 on a reflector support54 secured to the forward end of the reflector housing 18. In thismanner, the reflector 22 is in terfitted between the bracket 38 and theforward end of the reflector housing 18. The reflector 22 is oflightveight construction and is positioned by the reflector housing 18.

In order to provide an inner envelope between the reflector 22 and therefractor 26 to enclose the lamp R4, the reflector 22 is provided withan aperture 22c through which extends the lamp socket 48. A gasket 56seals the junction of the socket and the reflector so that the reflector22 and the refractor 26, along with the gaskets 56 and 34, form asubstantially airtight inner envelope for enclosing the lamp 14.

In order to support the housing 16 from the bracket 36, there isprovided a pair of channel-shaped angle members 58 having a horizontalleg thereof bolted or otherwise secured to the bracket 36 near thecorners 36d and 362 thereof by bolts 61 or other fastening means, andhaving a vertical leg secured to the side of the reflector housing 18through the flange 18a thereof by a plurality of bolt 62 or otherfastening means. Additionally the housing 18 is secured to the bracket36 near the corner 36c thereof by a plurality of screws 64 or otherfastening means. The reflector housing 18 is therefore supportedadjacent all three corners 36c, 36d, and 36a of the bracket 36 to securethe housing 18 to the bracket 36. Additionally, the screws 64 connectone portion 28a of the hinge assembly 28 directly to the bracket 36 sothat at least part of the weight of the refractor holder 20 andrefractor 26 is transmitted directly to the bracket 36 through theportion 23a of the hinge assembly 28.

It will be seen, according to one important aspect of the invention,that all of the heavy components within the housing re are supporteddirectly by the saddle 36 which, in turn, is secured to the pole l2;specifically, the ballast assembly 42, the lamp socket 48, the terminalboard 50, and the lamp 14 are all carried by the bracket 36. Moreover,one end of the refractor holder 20 and at least part of the weight ofthe refractor 26 is carried by the bracket as without going through thereflector housing 18. Additionally, one end of the lightweight reflector22 is carried by the groove 36b of the bracket 36, the other end of thereflector 22 is, of course, supported from the reflector housing 18through engagement with the de tent 52 in the dimple 22b. Since thereflector 22 is relatively light, the housing 16 may be nonstructuraland is therefore formed of thin sheet material affording economy inmanufacture and easy installation.

According to a further feature of the present invention, a ventilatingpath may be provided around at least the ballast assembly 42. In orderto provide the ventilating means around the ballast assembly 42, therefractor holder 2% is provided with a plurality of louvres 66positioned generally below the components of the ballast assembly 42,and additionally the reflector housing 18 is provided with a ventopening 68 located generally above the components of the ballastassembly 42. The reflector housing 18 is provided with an upturnedflange 68a (FIGS. 2 and 3) around the opening 68 and a plurality ofsupports 68b extend upwardly from the flange 68a. A rain cover 70 ofinverted dish shape is positioned over the opening 68 but is spaced fromthe flange 63a thereof thereby providing a ventilating opening betweenthe flange 63a and the cover 70 as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 3. Adrainage channel 72 is preferably formed around the flange 68a to directrain water away from the opening 68. Additionally, a drip pan '74 (FIGS.2 and is carried by the bracket 36 and is positioned below and spacedfrom the opening 68 thereby to collect any water which may enter throughthe opening oil and to direct the water away from the components formingthe ballast assembly 42. The opening es and the removable cover fil inaddition to providing venting means for the ballast assembly 42, servesto provide means for connecting a photoelectric control unit to theluminaire it) where such control is desired.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated, manymodifications Will occur to those skilled in the art. it is, therefore,intended in the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fallwithin the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new and sought to be secured by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

l. A luminaire adapted to be mounted from the generally horizontallyextending end of a support member, said luminaire comprising a sturdysaddle bracket adapted to be secured to said member, a relatively heavyballast assembly supported entirely by said bracket, a lamp socketsupported entirely directly by said bracket electrically connected tosaid ballast assembly and adapted to receive and entirely support anelectric lamp, a lightweight housing supported from said bracket andenclosing said bracket, ballast assembly, and lamp socket withoutcarrying any load from said ballast and lamp socket and including ashallow, elongated reflector holder and a refractor holder provided witha rcfractor opening, hinge means interconnecting said bracket and saidrefractor holder, a refractor received in said opening, at least one ofsaid holders being provided with latch means for securing said holderstogether to form an enclosed housing and a lightweight reflectorinterfitted between said bracket and said reflector holder, said holdersbeing provided with venting means aligned to provide ventilating meansaround at least said ballast assembly.

2. A luminaire adapted to be mounted from the generally horizontallyextending end of a supporting member, said luminaire comprising a sturdysaddle bracket adapted to be secured directly to said member, arelatively heavy ballast assembly supported entirely by said bracket, alamp socket supported entirely directly by said bracket electricallyconnected to said ballast assembly and adapted to receive and entirelysupport an electric lamp, a lightweight housing supported from saidbracket and enclosing said bracket, ballast assembly, and lamp socketwithout carrying any load from said ballast and lamp socket andincluding a shallow, elongated reflector holder and a refractor holderhinged relative to said reflector holder and provided with a refractor,at least one of said holders being provided with latch means forsecuring said holders together to form an enclosed housing and alightweight reflector interfltted between said bracket and saidreflector holder.

3. A luminaire of the type adapted to house a relatively heavy ballastassembly and additionally adapted to be mounted from the end of ahorizontally extending supporting pole portion, said luminairecomprising a sturdy saddle bracket adapted to be secured directly tosaid pole portion and adapted to support entirely a ballast assembly; alamp socket carried entirely directly by said bracket and adapted toreceive an electric lamp and to be electrically connected to saidballast assembly; a lightweight housing supported from said bracket forenclosing said bracket, ballast assembly, and lamp socket withoutcarrying any load from said ballast and lamp socket and including ashallow, elongated reflector holder opening at the bottom and arefractor holder hinged relative to said reflector holder and providedwith a refractor opening, a refractor received in said opening, at leastone of said holders being provided with latch means for securing saidholders together to form an enclosed housing and a lightweight reflectorinterfitted between said bracket and said reflector holder, said holdersbeing provided with venting means aligned to provide ventilating meansaround at least said ballast assembly.

4. A luminaire as set forth in claim 1 above wherein said housing isformed from sheet aluminum.

5. A Iuminaire as set forth in claim 1 above wherein said electric lampis a mercury vapor lamp having a socket at one end only.

6. A luminaire, as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein said hinge meansis positioned to transmit the load of the refractor holder directly tosaid bracket.

7. In combination, support means for a luminaire, including a generallyhorizontally extending end portion; and a luminaire mounted from saidend portion, said luminaire, including a sturdy saddle bracket secureddirectly to said end portion, a relatively heavy ballast assemblysupported entirely by said bracket, a lamp socket supported by saidbracket electrically connected to said ballast assembly, an electriclamp entirely supported by said socket, a light weight housing supportedfrom said bracket and enclosing said bracket, ballast assembly, lampsocket, and lamp, Without carrying any load from said ballast, lampsocket and lamp, and including a shallow, elongated reflector holder anda refractor holder hinged relative to said reflector holder and providedwith a refractor, at least one of said holders being provided with latchmeans for securing said holders together to form an enclosed housing anda lightweight reflector in- 10 terfitted between said bracket and saidreflector holder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,809,574 Belbes et al July 23, 1957 2,908,809 Beach et al. Oct. 13,1959 2,914,657 Akely et al Nov. 24, 1959 2,976,399 Christy Mar. 21, 1961

